Category: Sponsorship

Every year, we receive the most powerful, inspiring stories from adoptees, sponsored children and families, sponsors, donors, adoptive families and birth parents to share on our blog. 2018 was no different. The stories — and the people behind the stories — show a tremendous sense of strength, love, hope, generosity and family. During 2018, adoptees reunited with family members, reflected on their stories and wrote letters to their ten-year-old selves. Adoptees and adoptive families reflected on the challenges, the joys and the special moments they shared with one another. Sponsored children and families expressed their gratitude to the sponsors and donors who support them, and opened the door to share their stories of perseverance and success.

Each story from 2018 is full of empowerment, inspiration and hope. Here are some of your most viewed, most shared and most favorite adoptee, adoption, family strengthening and orphan care stories of 2018!

When sponsor Jenna Curtis got an unexpected check in the mail, she prayerfully considered how to use it. Deciding to give it to her sponsored child in Haiti, she then watched in astonishment as its impact rippled far beyond what she could have imagined.

Jenna travels to Haiti regularly, so she knew she wanted to sponsor a child from this country that, she says, had already stolen her heart.

Halfway through the concert, the music stopped and someone took to the stage. There with a group of high school students from her church, Jenna Curtis — a college student in her last semester — knew what was coming. She had heard this before, and already knew what she had to do.

Life can be harsh for migrant families in Bengaluru, India. But for 330 young children and their families, this Holt-supported daycare brings education, development, community and hope.

Three-year-old Dipika walks through the door, clutching her mother’s hand. After getting signed in, she walks wide-eyed down the hall where her mom gives her a hug before dropping her off in the classroom. Within seconds, Dipika’s eyes brim over with tears, joining a roomful of other bawling 3-year-olds.

This sound coming from the 3- and 4-year-old room is in sharp contrast to the colorful walls, toys and smiling staff throughout this building.

Rebecca Tyler shares the highlights from her family’s 22 years of child sponsorship, and why they have kept sponsoring all these years.

Shortly after bringing our 18-month-old daughter home from Vietnam in 1996, we inquired about adopting a little girl featured in the Holt magazine. As it turned out, she had a family in process but needed another sponsor. We agreed to sponsor her and have been sponsoring ever since.

A Tyler family portrait always includes a photo of their late son, Andrew. Although Rebecca and Ed considered suspending their sponsorship when Andrew fell ill, they decided, “As long as God was providing, we would keep sponsoring.”

Three times a year — for Christmas, International Day of the Child in June and for back-to-school in August — child sponsors have the opportunity to send a personalized card or bookmark to their sponsored child. Sponsors also make special donations to buy presents, throw parties and give special meals to kids. Holt’s on-the-ground staff and kids want you to know how much joy, lightness and excitement you give them during these special celebrations. Read just a few of our favorite updates from 2018 parties!

“Kids were extremely happy to see the photos of their sponsor and excited to share their birthday cards with their classmates and teachers.” CHINA

Given the strength to overcome her own struggles, child sponsor Karis Feezellstrives to help others overcome theirs.

Hello, my name is Karis Feezell. I am a determined, strong and compassionate 19-year-old artist who has struggled with physical issues all my life. I have cerebral palsy, Beckwith-Wiedemann syndrome, and birth defects in my hands and feet. When I was born, the umbilical cord was wrapped around my neck, resulting in lack of oxygen for eight minutes until I was revived. During this incident, my cerebellum was injured, causing constant, shaky tremors. The tremors make it a struggle to control my hands, particularly opening them.

In one coastal community in southern Haiti, many parents struggled to feed their children and send them to school before sponsors began supporting them three years ago.

Jayson and his family live in a small fishing village off the southern coast of Haiti. His dad works as a fisherman, and every day, he nets his catch in the sparkling, azure blue waters of the Caribbean Sea. What he catches, he sells.

But he almost never brings home any fish for his family.

Instead, they eat spaghetti. Or corn. Or rice imported from the U.S. Some days, they eat almost nothing.